DESCRIPTIONS OF GENERA AND SPECIES 



201 



suggested that the presence of a penis may prove characteristic of one group of this 

 genus. As to the large size of the egg-sacs in Horst's species, that may be merely 

 a question of more complete maturity. 



(3) Moniligaster houteni, Hokst. 

 M. houtenii, Hoest, Notes from Leyd. Mus., IX, p. 97. 

 Definition. Length, I. 50 M.; breadth, 18 mm. ; number of segments, 443: gizzards (4) in 



XV-XXII; septa, VI /X, XXIIT/? thickened; sfermidiwal glands open, XI/XII ; 



spermathecae in IX; ovaries in XIII. Ilab. — Sumatra. 

 This species comes nearest to M. viridis; under the description of the latter 

 most qi the points of resemblance as well as of difference are noted. M. houteni 

 is quite the largest Moniligaster, and is indeed one of the largest of earthworms. 

 Hoest has described and figured the setae as being ornamented with ridges after the 

 fashion so very prevalent in the Geoscolicidae. It will be noticed from the definition 

 that the aperture of the spermathecae has moved a segment further back in corre- 

 spondence with that of the spermiducal glands ; but while the latter glands lie 

 in the same segment as they do in M. viridis, the spermathecae are a segment 

 further back; the sperm-sacs are in the eleventh segment; they are described as 

 being large flat pale-brown organs, in which however only Gregarines were recognized ; 

 thex-e is no doubt however that they are the sperm-sacs. It seems clear from Hokst's 

 description that the two septa enclosing the ovaries join together peripherally as they 

 do in M. viridis; this arrangement, which must facilitate the passing of the ova 

 into either the oviduct or into the egg- sacs, is not commonly to be found among 

 earthworms. 



In a subsequent note upon this worm (17), Hoest reaffirms the position of the 

 male pores, and states that they are in line with the dorsal setae, and not between 

 the two pairs. 



(4) Moniligaster japonicus, Michaelsen. 

 M. japonicus, Michaelsen, Arch. f. Nat. 189a, p. 233. 

 Definition. Length, 28 mm.; breadth, 3 mm.; number of segments, 95; alimentary canal, with 

 two gizzards in XII, XIII; spermathecae without a long duct. Hal. — 3apan. 

 This species is clearly distinct from any of those that are well characterized ; it 

 has been somewhat briefly described by Michaelsen, his description not being illustrated 

 by any figures. The above definition contains, I think, all the points in which this 



Dd 



